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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1974.
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GOVERNMENT IS ALIVE TO PUBLIC OPINION
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THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR. DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS OFTEN MORE +CONSCIOUS OF AND SENSITIVE TO PUBLIC OPINION THAN SOME ELECTED POLITICIANS SEEM TO BE.+
SPEAKING AT THE 12TH COMMONWEALTH PRESS CONFERENCE, HE SAID THAT WE HAVE AN ORGANISATION WHICH ENABLES ME TO SPEAK ALMOST DIRECTLY TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO BE RECORDED, ANALYSED AND SUMMARISED.+
MR. BRAY SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE THIS SYSTEM, BUT HE FELT CONFIDENT THAT EVEN NOW THE GOVERNMENT COULD GAUGE WITH REASONABLE ACCURACY LOCAL OPINION ON ANY ISSUE OF
IMPORTANCE.
HE EMPHASISED THAT WITH THIS WIDESPREAD SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION THE MATERIAL AND OPINION RECEIVED WAS NOT JUST PIGEON HOLED. +IT IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND INFLUENCES THE OUTCOME.+
WITHIN SECTORS OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES FIELD, THE GOVERNMENT HAS FOUND IT USEFUL TO PUBLISH DETAILED ANALYSIS AND PROPOSALS DURING THE POLICY FORMATION STAGE IN THE FORM OF GREEN PAPERS. +THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN WIDESPREAD AND THE DEFINITIVE POLICY STATEMENT REFLECTS THIS DEBATE,+ MR. BRAY SAID.
HE WENT ON: +ONE CONSEQUENCE OF OUR WILLINGNESS TO REACT TO OPINION IS SOMETIMES A RELUCTANCE TO CARRY OUT UNPOPULAR MEASURES. THIS MAY OCCASIONALLY BE A DISADVANTAGE.
+BUT+, HE STRESSED, +ANOTHER MORE VALUABLE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO SUPPRESS DISSENT.+
MR. BRAY, WHOSE SPEECH WAS ENTITLED +GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE+, SAID HONG KONG HAS NO POLITICAL GAOLS, NOBODY IS DETAINED WITHOUT GOING BEFORE THE COURTS, THERE IS NO PRESS CENSORSHIP AND FILM CENSORSHIP IS AIMED AT LIMITING SCENES OF SEX AND VIOLENCE.
+WE COULD NOT TOLERATE SUCH A FREE SOCIETY IF WE FELT IT NECESSARY TO SUPPRESS PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF OPINIONS CONTRARY TO OUR PURPOSES,+ HE SAID.
IN CONCLUSION, MR. BRA" SAID THAT THE WORD +COLONY+ HAS COME TO IMPLY THE EXPLOITATION OF A REMOTE TERRITORY +BY AN UNSCRUPULOUS METROPOLITAN POĐER.+
HONG KONG IS NOT LIKE THIS, HE SAID, +VE SINK OR SWIM BY OUR OWN EFFORTS.+
+ THE ADMINISTRATION HER: IS DOMINATED NOT BY SOME REMOTE AUTHORITY BUT BY THE PRESSURES AND WHIMS, THE PETULANCE, THE ENERGY AND ENTERPRISE, THE VALUES AND COMMONSENSE OF ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEIR HOME HERE.+
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